Post by Chris Fournier on Mar 30, 2020 6:57:05 GMT -8
Mecklenburg County to open hotel for homeless needing quarantine or isolation
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - As Covid-19 spreads across our county, it could also impact the homeless community. As of now, there have been no confirmed cases among the homeless, but the county is preparing.
County manager Dena Diorio says they just finalized the lease agreement with its first hotel.
“We are limiting the number of people who are getting into the shelters and we are turning people away,” she said. She says that is why a hotel is needed.
“If they do get sick or they do get exposed they don’t have anywhere else to go and if we leave them in the shelter clearly they’re gonna present issues for the other people in the shelter,” Diorio said.
The hotel can hold 123 people who need to be quarantined or isolated.
Commissioner At-Large Pat Cotham says the county is smart to get ahead of this.
“The county is trying to solve problems today but also thinking about down the road and what could possibly happen and plan a little bit for the future,” Cotham said.